Consistency is Key

Yes; that is the number one rule for Online Marketing. It really doesn’t matter what your goal or how you are trying to succeed, you have to stick at it. We deal with lots of local businesses and they come in a variety of guises. There is one thing we know for a fact; if any business continually and intelligently works at Online Marketing eventually they will be successful in growing the business.

Change Agent

Online Marketing has changed the landscape of advertising and marketing. Ever since Seth Godin popularized the term permission based marketing in 1999, online marketing has expanded its influence and changed the face of advertising. No longer can you throw money at an interruption medium and expect results. Today’s consumer is educated and expects more every day. Now its more subtle and the product or service must be desirable. More importantly it must remain desirable under close scrutiny by the customer and potential customer.

Business can extend a message at little cost through a variety of online mediums:

Website

Blog

Social Media (so many platforms!)

Local Directories

Email

Letting the consumer understand how your business works is no longer taboo. In fact, it is essential to succeed in the social world. Businesses can no longer keep secrets in the hope of charging money for them. Now, the model is, explain and teach your secrets. Let your customer understand how your business works. This always raises scary questions; like:

What if nobody needs my service?

What if they just make what I produce for themselves?

These are obviously pretty scary questions for any business owner. The truth is though that it really is fun. People don’t really want to do what you can do for them. Unless it is so simple you don’t really have a business. Then you better start over. That situation is really the exception. Think of the kids lemonade stand; very successful if its hot and located in a good spot. Anybody having the inclination could make the lemonade for themselves, they have the knowledge, just not the time or the tools. And so the customer pays even though they know how to make lemonade.

Staying Consistent

A business traveling the permission marketing path must be committed. Permission based marketing is not a short term strategy or solution. If your business is ready to ride the digital wave of consumer power, be ready for a long ride. There is no such thing as a short term plan to gain success from taking this path. The permission commitment generally requires a complete culture shift allowing permission centric attitudes to flow through the fabric of the business. Once achieved permission marketing is not an additional chore, it is simply the way the business operates.

Hey, very nice website. I actually came across Turning The Page for Local Business » Consistency is Key on Bing, and I am happy I did. I will definately be coming back here more often. Wish I could add to the conversation and bring a bit more to the table, but am just absorbing as much info as I can at the moment. Thank You